Rope-grip for snaffling.



No. 704,282. Patented July 8, I902. J. H. WALLACE.

ROPE GRIP FDR SNAFFLlNG.

(Application filed July 24, 1900.}

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

No. 704,282. Patented July 8, I902.

J. H. WALLACE.

ROPE GRIP FOR SNAFFLING.

(Application filed July 24, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PAT NT @FFIcE.

JOHN HUTTON YVALLAOE, OF STRAVITHIE, SCOTLAND.

ROPE-GRIP FOR SNAFFLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,282, dated July 8, 1902 Application filed July 24,1900.

To all whom it" may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN HUTTON WAL- LACE, farmer, a subject of the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of The Brake, Stravithie, R. S. 0., county of Fife, Scotland, have invented a Rope-Grip for Snat'fling Horses, also applicable for other purposes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a rope-grip spe-.

cially adapted for snafliing or tying a horses head up to himself, so that he will remain where left when not under the care of an attendant, but is also applicable for other purposes, such as for use with the guy-ropes of tents, marquees, and the like, and for use in machine-shops'and for ships rigging and the like.

In order that my said invention may be readily understood and easily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the grip in conjunction with a rope and attachments as used for the purpose of snaffling a horse. Fig. 2 is a plan of the grip from the opposite side, showing a portion of the rope. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of same. Fig. 4 is a side view of the D-ring, hereinafter referred to. Fig. 5 is a view of the fore end of a horse hobbled by means of my said grip. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 show the buckle whereby the attachment is effected in the case of military saddles.

Referring to the said drawings, the ropegrip consists of a triangular frame A, formed of a rod or bar of metal of a round or equivalent shape in cross-section and to which is hinged at one end a plate B or second frame, also of approximately triangular shape, but having at its vertex or opposite corner a notch or cavity Z), adapted to form one jaw of the grip, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the other jaw being formed by the opening E in the apex to of the triangular frame A. The frame A is formed at its heel or hinged end with a projecting stop (0, against which the plate or second frame B abuts'in opening, thus preventing the plate and frame from being separated farther apart than is necessary for the releasing of the rope. The dis- Serial No. 24,667. (No modeLl tance to which it may be opened is adapted approximately to the thickness of the rope with which it is intendedto be used. A11 opening D is provided in or near the center of the triangular plate B or second frame for the reception of one end or part of the rope, which is knotted to confine it therein. The plate B or second frame has preferably an arm C, projecting downward below and adjacent to the hinge and provided with a circular opening 0, through which the rope may be passed. A guard or keeper 1) may be formed around the vertex notch I), through which the rope is passed, as shown in Fig. 3, to insure the rope being always in the correct position relatively with the vertex.

Inpractice a rope E is knotted at a suitable distance from one end, such as at e. The other end F is then passed through the opening D in the center of the plate 13 or frame from the front until the knot abuts against it, thence passed back or through the opening 0 in the projection O on the rear of the plate B or second frame, double or single rove through an ordinary ring G and led to another ring H, hook, or the like, between which and the former ring G the rope is desired to be rendered taut. The rope is next continued from the said ring I-I, hook, or the like and passed through the opening E at the apex of the first or base triangular frame A from behind, where it comes in contact with the semicircular or other shaped notch 29 in the vertex of the second triangular plate. The end F of the rope is preferably of a different color to the remainder in order to render more conspicuous the part to be manipulated, and is fastened to a ring or the like or hitched up by a loop J on the double portion of the rope, as shown in Fig. 1. The other or free end f is also preferably colored in the same manner as the end F. A pull applied to the free end F of the rope last named renders it taut, and the tension thus given to the rope, acting through the knot e on the face of the hinged triangular plate B, causes the vertex I) referred to to bite into the rope and prevent it slackening when the pull is released.

To release the grip and slaoken the rope, the free end f, hanging from the center of the plate B or second frame, is pulled, causing the vertex b of the said plate or frame to disengage itself from the rope.

As before stated, the said grip is specially applicable for snaflling or tying a horses head up to himself, so that he will remain where left, and for this purpose a spring-hook K is attached to the ring G to be hooked onto a D-ring L, fixed to the saddle on near side. To the other ring H on the rope is fixed a similar spring-hook K, to be passed through the near ring of the snaffle and hooked to the off-side snaffle-ring. By tightening the rope the horses head is brought around toward the saddle and his neck curved,so that he will only move around in a circle by the left. The D-ring L has a straight flattened side Z set lower than the plane of the ring part Z, so that the flat portion can be passed under the iron which carries the stirrup-leather, the stirrup-leather being first removed and then replaced over the flat portion I, thus holding it secure.

Fig. 5 shows the D-ring L in position on the saddle, but for the sake of simplicity the rope with grip is illustrated as a bobble, extending from the snaffle to an ordinary D- ring N, carried by a strap n upon the near fore fetlock of the horse. When not required, the rope is slackened and the hook removed from the ordinary D-ringN and engaged with the ring L on the saddle.

When used for snaftling horses, the rope extends from the snaflie-bit to the D-ring L on the saddle, and the rope is then so tight ened as to curve the horses neck until its head may be nearly at right angles to its body.

In some military saddles the iron which carries the stirrup-leather is a closed rectangular link, on which the D-ring L cannot be attached. For such saddles a buckle P, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, is used instead of the D-ring L. A short strap to which the buckle P is attached is passed over the iron link below the stirrup-leather and then secured to the buckle P, which will lie between the double of the stirrup-leather, the ring P being to the front. The said buckle is formed, as shown, so as to take two plies of leather and is provided with a ring 19, with which the spring-hook K is engaged.

It will be understood from the foregoing description and the representations in the accompanying drawings that with my improved rope-grip the ends of the rope may be attached to two distant objects and the rope-grip applied to a bight in the center of the rope, so as to tighten or slacken the rope, thus varying its effective length between the objects to which its ends are attached; also that it is conveniently applicable to double ropes for many purposesfor example, tying or hobbling a horse, for grip-ropes of tents, stay-ropes of wagon-covers, or the like.

Having thus described my invention, the following is What I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a rope-grip for the purposes referred to, the combination of the frame Aformed at its apex to constitute one jaw of the grip; the grip-plate B hinged at one end to the frame A and formed at its other end to grip the rope against the apex of the frame A and having an aperture D intermediate of its ends for the reception of the knotted end of the rope, substantially as described.

2. In a rope-grip for the purposes referred to, the frame A formed at its apex to constitute one jaw of the grip and the grip-plate B hinged at one end to the frame A, formed at its other end to grip the rope against the apex of the frame A, and having an aperture D intermediate of its ends to receive and retain the knotted part of the rope; in combination with the stop a adjacent to the hinge to limit the extent to which the free end of the plate B may rise above the gripping end of the frame A, substantially as set forth.

3. In a rope-grip for the purposes referred to, the combination of the frame A; the gripplate 13 hinged at one end thereto, formed at its other end to grip the rope against the frame A, and having an 'apertured projection O at its hinged end, through which the rope is passed and an aperture D intermediate of its ends for the reception of the knotted end of the rope, substantially as described.

4. In a rope-grip, the combination of the frame A, having an aperture E near one end for the reception of the rope; and -the plate B hinged to the other end of the frame and having at its free end a gripping-recess 1) adjacent to the aperture E in the frame; a guard or keeper 1) surrounding the grippingrecess 1) and intermediate of its ends an aperture D in which the other end of the rope is secured, as explained.

JOHN HUTTON WVALLACE.

\Vitnesses:

S. MARDIoK, CHARLES J. HILL. 

